When an otherwise quiet Iowa town is shocked by a young woman’s murder, the residents recall the horrific fire that destroyed the nearby criminal mental hospital 25 years earlier. Rumors circulate about the possible involvement of a psychopathic rapist and murderer who escaped the flames and disappeared. Or did he? This intricate thriller, encumbered with multiple story lines, is not clarified by Bob Walter’s narration. His straightforward delivery blurs the main characters, and his distinctive pause after the first word of most sentences is distracting. Further, the somewhat one-dimensional figure of Robert Payne, private investigator and former FBI profiler, is not enriched by Walter’s unexceptional performance. Payne has the savvy and courage to solve the mystery, but he’s a bit lackluster along the journey.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2012
Duration: 8 hrs
Publisher: Crossroad Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Novelist Benet Archdale and housemaid Carol Stratford are two young, single parents who have no reason to know each other. They become tangled in a nightmarish spiral of kidnap, fraud, family violence and death. Ruth Rendell creates psychological suspense in thrillers that are compulsively readable or, in this case, listenable. British actress Imelda Staunton's reading is perfectly paced, and the characters are well defined. You'll have a hard time turning it off.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 9 hrs
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Emerson and Peabody are at it again! Uncovering antiquities takes a back-seat as the romantic archaeologists track down the master criminal who is stealing Egypt's ancient treasures. With the help of their precocious son, Ramses, the intrepid pair unravel this mystery in crowded bazaars, desert camps and the heart of the Black Pyramid. Barbara Rosenblat's reading fully measures up to the tale. She is a master of timing and nuance. Rosenblat's power for character interpretation has grown with each book in this amusing series. This is the best one yet.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 12 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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